1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a job management system for collecting information about a job executed by an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus, a control method, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
A system for collecting each type of a job history executed by an image forming apparatus represented by a printer or a multi-function peripheral has been commonly used to count and analyze a result of a utilization state of the job. These job histories comprise paper information such as paper size (A4, A3, and the like) and paper type (plain paper, cardboard and the like). The system can count the number of the printed pages of the paper and the number of the sheets of printed paper for each paper size or each paper type.
A variety of paper types are used in the image forming apparatus, and to perform an optimal image formation, the variety requires adjustments in response to the characteristics of the printing for each paper type. For example, since the weight and surface properties of a paper vary depending on the paper brand even if the papers is classified as “plain paper”, there is a need for the adjustment in response to the characteristics of the printing by using a parameter more detailed than the paper type. Recent image forming apparatuses hold the parameters required in adjusting the characteristics of the printing for each piece of the paper information to enable reading the parameter corresponding to the designated paper information during printing to print the paper with the optimal characteristics of the printing.
The paper information designated during printing can be designated from an operation unit of the image forming apparatus or a computer. Also, a user can register the paper information to the image forming apparatus by applying a paper name to simplify the designation of the paper type for use in printing. This kind of circumstance leads to an increase in demand for the counting for each paper brand used in the printing, in addition to the counting for each paper type. A name for the paper brand that is called “paper name” can define information about a sufficient number of characters to assure the identification by the user. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-149375 discloses a system for managing a result of an execution of the job for each paper type by adding the detailed paper information to the job history after the processing of the printing.
However, if the image forming apparatus adds the paper name information to the job history as described above, the size of the data increases to increase a load of the system. Also, if the detailed paper information is updated in inquiring the job history at regular interval, the content of the job history executed within the interval for inquiring will be incorrect.
In particular, in an environment in which a variety of output products such as a POD (Print On Demand) is handled, the used paper type mostly varies depending on each job to cause the frequent switching of the paper in the image forming apparatus. Therefore, the registration of the paper information used in the printing is frequently performed in the image forming apparatus. The paper information can be registered from the operation unit of the image forming apparatus. The paper information registered in the image forming apparatus is managed by a paper brand identifier (paper brand ID) issued within the image forming apparatus. Therefore, in an environment to which a plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected, the papers with the same type are managed by the different paper brand IDs respectively in the image forming apparatuses.
Also, the paper information can be registered from a computer or the like connected to the image forming apparatus via a network. In this case, the paper brand ID managed within the image forming apparatus is transmitted from the computer to enable managing the same paper brand by the identical paper brand ID in the image forming apparatus. However, the above processing may cause overwriting of another paper brand ID previously used in the image forming apparatus. In other words, the meaning of the paper brand ID before the overwriting may be different from that after the overwriting.